Saturday, February 16, 2013

Grand Mufti: Syria is Paying the Price of Its Support for Arab Causes

Feb 15, 2013

DAMASCUS, (SANA) – Grand Mufti of the Republic, Dr. Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun, said that Syria is now tending to its wounds so that it may rebuild itself, pointing out that Syria is paying the price of its support for Arab causes and its refusal to submitting to US-Israeli dictations and projects.In an interview with al-Mayadin TV broadcast on Friday, Hassoun said that the world will soon see the birth of a new Syria which learned new lessons after the schemes it faced for the past two years, stressing that freedom comes from the people, not from abroad, and that the Arab world is still embroiled in the chaos of the alleged "Arab spring."

He pointed out that the political program presented by President Bashar al-Assad is more comprehensive than the Geneva statement, affirming that Syria's doors are open wide to all those who wish to participate in dialogue.

Hassoun said that mass media can either be a messenger of truth or a false prophet that lies, elaborating that Syria stands amidst false media that distorts facts, those who contradicted themselves and stabbed their brothers in the back, and neighbors who responded to opening borders for peace with betrayal.He noted that Syria opened its arms for the people of Iraq and Lebanon in their time of needs and hosted them in the homes of Syrians, not in tents, and that Syria bore its burden and never complained to the UN for aid.

Hassoun pointed out that before the crisis in Syria began, Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan told him that he respects President al-Assad and is worried for Syria from coming chaos, adding that he was surprised later by Erodgan's stances and wondering for who's sake did Turkey open its borders and allow murderers and thieves to cross into Syria.

The Grand Mufti held seditious preachers in Arab Gulf countries – particularly Saudi Arabia and Qatar who called for Jihad in Syria – responsible for the bloodshed in Syria, denouncing Yousef al-Qaradawi who calls for dialogue in Egypt while calling for sectarian instigation in Syria.

He called upon Islamic scholars to be aware of the western countries who came to Iraq and destroyed it under the pretense of liberating it, affirming that these countries want to do the same thing in Syria, Sudan, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and the rest of the region.